Snickers Cake

This creamy no-bake Snickers cake is stacked with creamy layers of homemade chocolate and peanut butter pudding along with some graham crackers softened to a cake like texture. Draping the mad goodness of the creamy layers is a heavy pouring of caramel and chocolate ganache sauce. Of course I can never just stop at good enough, I had to take it over the top and chop up some Snickers for added authenticity and then finish that off with some caramel and chocolate drizzle.

It’s cakery for the lazy. I love icebox cakes because they require no baking and always seem so much easier. But you know what is not easier, making nice even layers. I just don’t have that cake carving skill nailed down yet.

These days I don’t have time to practice that. I’m sure you’ve noticed the spotty posting. Life is just getting in the way and I’m not sure how to get the multiplying-to-do list to chill the freak out before I have a freak out.

I should stop now – I’m being a whiner.

Okay, one last thing, that second picture is admittedly hideous. But as much as I dislike the picture I wanted you guys to see the Snickers Cake fully assembled. Don’t let the bad picture convince you this cake is anything but to-die for.

A few notes:

The recipe yields one 8×8 cake. For the picture I sliced the cake in half for two cake loaves.

Variations: Change out the graham cracker for chocolate ones. Switch out the peanut butter with Nutella for a Nutella Icebox Cake. For a Twix version replace the peanut butter with some homemade caramel or melt down some Kraft caramels for a caramel pudding and then top with chopped Twix instead of Snickers.

Cake can be fully assembled and kept in freezer or refrigerator for up two days.

I froze my cake for a more ice cream like texture and it also makes for nice clean slices.

Snickers Icebox Cake

Makes one 8×8 cake or two 4×8 cake loafs

Ingredients:

16 whole crackers

Pudding

2/3 cup cornstarch

1 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

6 cups cold whole milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cups dark chocolate, chopped

3/4 cups creamy peanut butter

Caramel sauce

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons water

4 tablespoon butter

¼ c heavy cream

Ganache pouring sauce

2/3 cups dark chocolate

1 tablespoons heavy cream

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

4-5 tablespoons water, warm

12-14 mini Snickers, chopped

Instructions:

To make pudding

Combine cornstarch, sugar, salt and milk in a blender or food processor and pulse until well blended. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Transfer mixture to a heat proof bowl and place over (not on) simmering water for approximately 20-25minutes stirring occasionally. Pudding is ready when it it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leave ribbons when pudding is drizzled on top of itself.

Add vanilla to mixture. Split mixture in half and add chocolate to one half and whisk to combine. Add peanut butter to remaining half and whisk to combine.

To make caramel sauce

Place sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat and stir the until sugar has dissolved. Dissolve any crystals forming on the side with a wet pastry brush.

Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high.

At this point do not stir the mixture directly. Now and then, using the handle, give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute or so.

Once the mixture starts to turn a light golden shade, add the butter and heavy cream. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Set aside to cool completely.

To make ganache pouring sauce

Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

To assemble

Create a foil sling by placing a piece foil in the pan with a 1 inch overhang on each side.

Place graham crackers side-by-side until bottom of pan is covered. Spread a thin layer of chocolate pudding on top. Place second layer of graham cracker on top of chocolate pudding. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter pudding on top. Continue alternating layers with chocolate and peanut butter pudding while separating each pudding layer with a graham cracker layer.

Pour cooled caramel sauce on top and set aside to set. Pour cooled ganache sauce on top and add chopped Snickers on top. Finish with caramel and chocolate drizzle.

Place cake in refrigerator or freezer for at least 8 hours to set or overnight. (Freezer will create a pudding texture closer to ice cream).

Bad pictures, craziness, I think they are fabulous. And its the last picture that is my favorite. I will be making this sometime in the future and that is saying something because ice box cakes are not my thing.

I tried to make this using the refrigerated version but it didn’t set hard enough to get out of the pan the right way up in one piece (the caramel was really runny, the rest just a bit sloppy). I possibly didn’t cook the pudding for long enough?
Anyway, it’s in the freezer now and looking like it should 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

I’m going to just go ahead and admit that I’m an idiot, and ask what you mean by cooking over water. In a bowl but not touching the water in the pan? Or in a bowl sitting in water? Should it be boiling or just on low?
Okay, now that I feel really stupid I’ll sit back and hope for an answer.
🙂

Oh my gosh. This cake looks AMAZING! I definitely agree with the other posters in saying that your second photo is definitely not in the hideous category… great photography, great recipe, to-die-for cake! One question: I’m an Australian and we can’t get graham crackers over here. What are they like? Oat biscuits? Plain wheat biscuits? I definitely want to try this recipe but I’m puzzled over what I can use as a substitute. Thanks Naomi!!

Laura – I’m not sure what oat biscuits are like, but graham crackers are thin-like biscuits or as I understand biscuits to be in the UK. Sorry, I don’t have experience with “biscuits” in AU. Whatever biscuit you use, you want to find one that softens with moisture but doesn’t get totally mushy.

Hi awesome cake!!!(: so gonnna try it but just a few questions … First when you say over simmering water and not on it, could you explain more in detail please? What did you do? And for the ingredients, when I buy the cream is there a certain type? When I’m in the store what do I look for & is it in the dairy section? Thank you

This was the farthest thing from easy I’ve ever made however it has turned out Amazing! I had enough pudding to make extras! It took me a lot longer than 20-25mins to make the pudding. Seems to be the thicker the better!

Can’t wait to try this looks delish!!! The Australian alternative would be digestive biscuits or wheatmeal biscuits. Not sure how it will go as I think they only make round ones as far as I know but looking forward to giving it a go!!

Have a birthday in the office next week and everyone expects me to bring something. This would be the PERFECT item. One question though – do you think lady fingers would stand up to the pudding as opposed to grahamn crackers? The picture shown – was it of the 8×8 version or the 4×8 loaf?

You say cake can be divided to make 2- 4×8 loaf cakes. Did you mean to make cake and cut in half or use 2 loaf pans and put together twice? Your BEAUTIFUL PHOTO #2 looks like a loaf as you said but i see caramel and ganache coming down both sides of cake which leads me to believe you used 2 pans? Would like to make this Thursday for Saturday is that to early to make it? Thanks

I agree – when I was in Australia I always used digestive biscuits in place of graham crackers. Could also give making your own a go, as the digestive biscuits are also a lot thicker than the traditional graham cracker. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/05/graham-crackers/

Your dessert looks like it would wow any “Snickers” fanatic (like it would have for my PRE-diabetes husband), but the recipe, as written, leaves a lot to be desired. I’m a pretty experienced cook and I KNOW, even if this cake COULD set up properly in a fridge (not likely) it would certainly last more than 2 days and far longer in a freezer.

Hi it just means you get a pan of hot water simmering and place a bowl on top, not touching water underneath and the steam from under, melts what you put in dish. Becareful not to let the water spill into the bowl too. Hope this helps? Jan

Recipe is too confusing your speak of chocolate pudding and peanut butter pudding but the recipe only gives 1 pudding recipe. If you mean the chocolate ganache you should state that. Cannot follow difficult recipe. 🙁

hi, i am in australia and have never heard of the biscuit you are speaking about but would it be okay to use an arnots granita? my only problem they only make them round how would i work with that? would i crush them to a rough crumb and sprinkle and thick layer? hope you can help me out!

pudding took forever to thicken and then it was not thick enough, I added 2 more tablespoon of cornstarch in milk and then it got thick. you ganache could be better by adding more cream and it would also be able to be enough to drizzle on both loaves. After all if you look at a snicker bar, the coating is milk chocolate not dark chocolate.All in all we will see, mine is in the freezer.

Hiya – we don’t have graham crackers in the UK – I guess digestives are our nearest alternative but they are round rather than oblong; I wondered if this could be made with wafer fingers/biscuits instead or would they go soggy under the peanut butter and choccie cake mix …. I am desperate to give this a go!

About Naomi Robinson

Welcome to my cozy corner where baking meets random thoughts and musings. I’m a self-taught baker sharing all things sweet (and some savory—okay, and cocktails) with a whisk in one hand and a camera in the other.